It’s not a secret that Christmas Markets are expensiveI visited The Sheffield Christmas Markets for a quick bite (Image: Lyra Auld)

Some people associate Christmas with festive cheer and carol-singing, whilst others associate it with hiked prices of Baileys and street food – suffice to say, I am guilty of both.

Christmas Markets, for me at least, are an expensive tradition. I am not a Scrooge, I will go along and marvel at the beautiful lights, buy a lovely meal, and likely enjoy every minute – but because I am British, I will also inevitably complain about the price of everything.

That’s why I set myself a challenge this year: to find three food items for less than £15. I thought this would be difficult, but the Sheffield Christmas Markets really surprised me with how easily I was able to stick to my budget.

Hot Chocolate in front of the Alpine Lodge(Image: Lyra Auld)

I started off with a main – a Kombacher German Sausage with all the trimmings, which came to the grand total of £7.50. I thought, considering it was a traditional Christmas food, that the price was very fair and for families, I think its a meal that could easily be split between two small children, lowering the cost significantly.

After walking that off for a bit by perusing through the lodges, I stopped for a quick drink at one of the Alpine Lodges. I really like that the prices are consistent all over the city, so that if one spot is particularly busy, it doesn’t feel like you are being “fobbed off” with more expensive or exclusive prices.

‘Chocolate Kisses’ chocolate stand(Image: Lyra Auld)

A hot chocolate set me back £4.50, which is honestly similar to the prices you would get at a Costa or Starbucks – and likely a bit cheaper. Adding a shot of Baileys would have cost an extra £2, but I didn’t think that was overly extortionate.

Finishing up my quest, there were a few options – but already I was feeling quite full – so I popped over to ‘Cerman Kisses’ for a traditional ‘German Kiss’ marshmallow treat. Only £2 for a decadent pistachio sweet-treat to see out the night of gluttony.

Don’t get me wrong, I think I could have easily spent more money – especially on things like drinks. But there were definitely also ways to spend less than £15 and still come away feeling satisfied. The good thing about all of the street food is that it is very rich and flavourful – so you don’t need a lot to feel full!

Overall, it’s not a secret that Christmas Markets are expensive. However, in Sheffield at least, I don’t think the prices can be considered a significant rip-off, especially considering the wonderful quality.

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